A beauty holding a ball 1897

Yōshū Chikanobu made this woodblock print of a beautiful woman holding a ball. This print was made during the Meiji period in Japan, a time of rapid modernization and Westernization, but also a time when artists looked back to Japanese traditions. Chikanobu worked in the Ukiyo-e style, which emerged in the Edo period. His work often depicted women, especially those associated with the imperial court. The artist seems to be referencing older traditions of female beauty within a modernizing society. Consider the elements: the elaborate hairstyle, the kimono, and the idealized features of the woman. These visual codes create meaning through cultural references to older Japanese traditions. Prints like this were very popular at the time, meeting the demands of a new urban class with money to spend. By studying the history of woodblock printing, and the social changes in Japan at the time, we can better understand the role of art as something deeply affected by its social and institutional context.